Note: Alfred and Grace Carver’s Golden (50th) Wedding Anniversary was October 13, 1945
October 1, 1945
Ft. Dix, N.J.
Dear Family,
It’s quite possible that I’ll hear from you at noon today so I expect the smart thing to do would be to wait until after that to mail this. This letter certainly doesn’t fit into my usual weekly schedule of writing but maybe you won't mind too bad. If you remember on Tuesday of last week, I was off during the day but worked at night. Well that particular part of the week's work comes today this week. I don’t especially like the idea of working till 2AM or so tonight and then during the day tomorrow but there are a lot of things that could be worse. I had all intentions of getting started on this letter last night but I was just a little extra tired and didn’t. I suppose mostly, because I know that I could do it today.
Now while I still have it on my mind I want to ask you to send me something. It seems that I’ll be wearing OD’d from now on not only for their warmth but because we are expected to dress up just a little for this work we’re doing. So I’d like to have that old pair of (blanket type, I think) OD pants that I sent home. I don’t remember for sure whether they even fit me or not but maybe I can get some use from them.
It may be just a little ahead of time to tell you this because it may never happen but I need something to talk about anyway. This separation center is just about turning out its capacity of men by working clear around the clock. So in order to discharge more men. I understand they are going to open up another separation center here on this post. No doubt it’ll be part of the same organization but it will be a whole new unit. And in order to get that one started smoothly, they are going to get replacements for some of the personnel working here and send a nucleus for the crew over there from the people that have been doing the job here. You guessed it, I was told the other day that I’d probably have to go over there to organize the part of the work that our little unit does (briefly: assembling the records as they come to the counseling section, sending them to the right places, and keeping a record of what happens to them). I don’t see that there will be any difference in whether I stay or go over there.
I haven’t heard from what you think about my sending money to get Grandpa and Grandma something for their anniversary. If I don’t hear from you today, here's what I’m going to do. I’ve already promised to send you four dollars for my regimental book, if it ever comes. So that from a ten dollar bill leaves six for something for their anniversary. Perhaps the flower idea wasn’t so good and I would be just as happy or happier at something else. You know better about what they could use and would like thanI do. I’ve never done that much for Christmas or anything else since I’ve been away but I feel that this is pretty special. Perhaps there is something that the whole family wants to get and this could just be used as my share - do as you see best. I’m going to send a little note that you can put with whatever you get if it seems appropriate. If it doesn’t fit the occasion just forget about using it.
I hope that everything is OK at home. When I woke up yesterday morning the weather had turned so cool that I wouldn’t have been surprised to see frost. So it really seems like Fall now. I suppose you changed back to Standard Time yesterday morning too.
Be good and take care of yourselves.
Love,
Donald
I certainly would have spent more than six dollars for a ticket if it were possible to get home for their anniversary.
Dear Grandparents,
May this carry my best wishes to you on your Golden Wedding Anniversary. If it were at all possible for me to be there, I would certainly not miss this occasion. I have looked forward to this almost ever since I can remember and I know that you have for a lot longer period. I hope that in a small way this will partly make up for my absence. May God bless you.
Your Grandson,
Donald